NASCAR Cup driver listed as driver for Hailie Deegan vacant seat for AM Racing at Pocono

Amid Hailie Deegan and AM Racing’s official split this week, there are going to be a rotating roster of drivers filling in for the No. 15 Ford Mustang. The NASCAR Xfinity Series team is already piecing together how they will finish out the season for their sponsors and team.

Josh Berry is listed on the roster portal for AM Racing. It appears that the Stewart-Haas Racing driver will drop back down to the Xfinity Series for Pocono. There are only so many Ford drivers in the Cup Series. Putting these drivers in the seat allows AMR to get as much data and good feedback as they could ask for.

Hailie Deegan is out of a ride, and that means it has to be filled. Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports pointed out that Berry was listed for the 15 car.

Josh Berry is listed in the NASCAR roster portal as the driver of the AM Racing No. 15 car this weekend for the Xfinity Series race at Pocono.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 8, 2024

Josh Berry was great in the Xfinity Series. His last season he went winless but Berry earned himself a Cup Series seat with his performances in that series. With a reference as good as Dale Earnahrdt Jr., it is no wonder so many are high on Berry’s talents.

Now, Berry didn’t have the best luck at Chicago. So, it’s great that AM Racing is able to overlook that and put him in this 15-car. While Berry struggles on road courses at times, he is solid on the ovals.

Josh Berry in place of Hailie Deegan at Pocono

When it comes to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Josh Berry has a little experience at Pocono Raceway. He first got his start at Pocono in the 2021 season racing for Jordan Anderson Racing in the Xfinity Series and Rackley WAR in the Truck Series.

In the Xfinity Series, Berry has three starts at Pocono. P9, P3, and P24 (led the most laps). So, whatever AM Racing is looking to get out of this weekend, they probably will. There will be a lot that this organization can learn after Berry gets done handling the car.

The Tricky Triangle is exactly that, tricky. It is not going to be easy for Berry to hop back into the Xfinity Series and run up front. There is a lot of talent in the series, and while Berry was a Championship 4 driver two years ago, it won’t be easy.

Josh Berry is going back to the Xfinity Series. This will be his first start of the season in Xfinity. So far this year in CUp, he has two top-5s and two additional top-10s.